Diabetes is one problem that has plagued millions of Americans today. In the United States alone, over 6.3% of the entire population is suffering from diabetes. Diabetes is a medical condition where the body is no longer able to produce enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is vital for the process of converting starches, sugar, and other food types into energy. The exact cause of diabetes is currently unknown although there are many studies that suggest that lifestyle, genetics and other environmental factors can result to the development of diabetes.
There are three types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is when the pancreas stops producing insulin altogether. This type of diabetes commonly occurs in children and adolescents. People who are suffering from Type 1 diabetes will usually need to wear an insulin pump or inject themselves with insulin inorder to compensate for the lack of insulin. On the other hand, type 2 diabetes results when there is insulin resistance in the body. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and it is commonly found in
adults. It is also a lifelong disease.
Whether you have diabetes or not, you should always pay attention to your blood sugar level. Too much sugar on a diabetic individual can be very alarming, while a high sugar diet can increase a person’s chances of developing diabetes. One way to combat this is by having a low sugar diet. Keeping a strict diet that is low on sugar can be tricky at first, but once you know what types of food you should avoid because they are rich are in sugar, things can get a lot easier. Here is a guide that can help you on how you can maintain a low sugar diet.
Tips On How You Can Keep A Low Sugar Diet
Many Americans today are not aware of what they are eating. Sure, they know what the snack they’re munching on is called,
but most of them have no idea on just how unhealthy that snack can be. On average, Americans eat around 1-3 pounds of sugar in a week. Think about how damaging it can be if you continue to eat that much without doing anything about it. One way to keep a healthy diet, with or without diabetes, is by maintaining a low
sugar diet. Here are some tips that can help you keep your blood sugar level on a minimum.
- Drink Lots of Water – Water is perhaps the cheapest and most convenient medicine there is. It is a healthy beverage that can counter many health issues. But of course, water can be very bland. To add more taste to your glass of water, add a bit of strawberry, cucumber or lemon to your water. Flavored and carbonated water that has no sugar content is also a healthy and tastier substitute for water. Try to avoid fruit juices because while they may seem healthy, these drinks are actually loaded with a lot of sugar.
- Stay Away From That Can of Soda – Did you know that just one can of soda already contains up to 4 tablespoons of sugar? If you want to have a low sugar diet, cutting back on the soda is one of the most helpful ways to start. Giving up soda is also an excellent way to lose weight. There are studies that have discovered that avid soda drinkers lost 1 pound in just a month after they’ve stopped drinking soda.
- Start Reading the Labels of Your Groceries – When we go shopping, we seldom check the label and go straight ahead to the price instead. The nutritional label of the food that we buy can actually be very informative since it can tell us the different ingredients in the product and just how much was used. The first few ingredients in the nutritional label are the dominating ingredients. To keep a low sugar diet, try not to buy food that has sugar on its top 3 main ingredients. You should also watch out for food that has hidden sugar. You may think that a food doesn’t have sugar, but when you read the label, you’ll find out that it actually does.
- Keep Your Very Own Food Diary – Not sure on just how healthy you’ve been eating? One way to keep track of your low sugar diet is by keeping a food journal or diary. Don’t forget to write absolutely everything that you’ve taken (food and drinks). Your food diary will remind you when you’ve slipped on your low sugar diet. Reviewing your food diary can also help if you’re not sure ifthe food that you ate a few weeks ago had high sugar content or not.
- No More Table Sugar – This means you should refrain from adding sugar to your coffee or dish recipes. This is where many people struggle, especially if adding table sugar to their daily meals has already become a habit. The key to this step is by gradually reducing the amount of sugar that you add. Start by adding half the amount of sugar that you usually place in your coffee. Once you’re accustomed to the taste, you can add less and less sugar until you won’t need to add any at all.
- Get Rid Of Your Sweet Tooth – One of the best ways to maintain your low sugar diet is by getting rid of the culprit itself—your cravings for sweet food. Try substituting foods that are rich with sugar with healthier alternatives like food rich in fiber, whole grains, and protein.
